My chickens won't roost

[KaelaM]

I have four 14 week old chickens and they all sleep in one of the nesting boxes together, they have two roosting poles but don't roost. I am not able to put them on the roosts because of the way the coop was built I have no way to get into the coop. Are they too young to roost? Will they roost eventually?

 

[Purechick]

Are the nestboxes higher than the roosts? If so, then that could be why they like sleeping in the nestboxes.

 

[KaelaM]

Are the nestboxes higher than the roosts? If so, then that could be why they like sleeping in the nestboxes.

No, the roosts are above them

 

[Purechick]

I don't know how your coop is built, but maybe it's hard for them to get on the roost.

 

[RonC]

Mine wouldn't roost at first but after a few weeks they got the hang of it. Try blocking off the nestboxes if they aren't laying yet.

 

[Judy]

How much space is there between the roost and the ceiling? What do the roosts look like?

I've never had to train a chicken to roost -- by the time they were 14 weeks, they were roosting on their own.

 

[KaelaM]

How much space is there between the roost and the ceiling? What do the roosts look like?

I've never had to train a chicken to roost -- by the time they were 14 weeks, they were roosting on their own.

I am guessing there is about 18 inches between the roost and the ceiling and they are square.

 

[dancingflower68]

Mine started roosting at about 6-7 weeks, which surprised me because their roosts are about 18" off the bottom of the coop floor, and they kinda have to do a helicopter jump to get up there!! Maybe if you attach something interesting to the roost, maybe some greens or something, that will pique their curiosity and they might decide they like it up there!!

 

[KaelaM]

Okay thanks I will try that

 

[lareynadenada]

I was told not to put nests in until they were roosting as the last time I had chickens they were roosting on the edges of their nests and pooping all over them, it has worked great, we just put nests in and they are still roosting but didn't start until they were about 14 weeks,,,,,,,,,,,now 17 weeks